National Library Service Commemorates 75 Years of Pioneering Service to
Blind and Physically Handicapped Readers

National Library Service Commemorates 75 Years of Pioneering Service to
Blind and Physically Handicapped Readers

Free library service celebrates long history and bright future in keeping
patrons
engaged in literature and connected to the world around them

WASHINGTON, DC—This month, as the nation reflects on the past year and
looks toward the future, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, is commemorating 75 years of providing
free library service to people who cannot see standard print or who have problems
handling print materials. Established in 1931 by the Pratt-Smoot Act, NLS provides
free reading materials in braille and on audiocassette, as well as audio playback
equipment to eligible enrollees of all ages. As NLS celebrates its 75th year
of ensuring that all may read, the program continues its tradition of innovation
and service. In 2008, a revolutionary transformation will occur when NLS launches
the digital talking-book system, harnessing the latest technology to enhance
the way patrons stay connected to the written word and the world at large.

"This is a monumental milestone in NLS history," says Frank Kurt Cylke,
NLS director. "For the past 75 years, we have remained committed to meeting
the unique needs of blind and physically handicapped readers. As we enter the
digital future, NLS will continue to explore ways to enhance the reading experience
of our patrons, thereby improving the quality of their lives."

A long history of keeping people connected

Known today as the talking-book program, NLS was born on March 31, 1931, when
President Herbert Hoover signed the Pratt-Smoot Act into law, authorizing
the Library of Congress to provide embossed books for blind people in the
United States and its territories. The legislation was the outgrowth of efforts
dating back to the nineteenth century to foster literacy in the blind community.
While the Library of Congress had offered an in-house collection of braille
materials since 1897, it wasn’t until President Herbert Hoover signed the
Pratt-Smoot Act into law that such materials became accessible to blind readers
on a national level.

It became apparent early on that the braille collection did not meet the needs
of older patrons who lacked the tactile sensitivity to learn braille. In 1934,
laying the foundation for a service that puts patrons needs first, Congress
supplemented the original legislation with additional funding to produce books
on phonograph records—the first audiobooks. Thus the talking-book program was
born. Always exploring the technological horizons for new methods of improving
service to readers, NLS made cassette books and special playback machines available
to patrons in 1969.

When Senator Reed Smoot and Representative Ruth Pratt introduced the legislation
that created this special library service in 1931, they could hardly have envisioned
the phenomenon spawned by their efforts. Today, NLS provides services to more
than 700,000 avid readers. The NLS staff has grown from one professional staffer
in 1931 to a staff of more than 100 individuals. The 19 affiliate libraries
have expanded to a national network of 132 cooperating libraries found throughout
the United States and in its territories. Moreover, the NLS collection has
increased from a mere 15 book titles to a collection of more than 400,000,
including the latest bestsellers, circulating 24 million copies annually. In
addition, NLS provides music materials in braille, recorded, and large-print
formats; and offers readers a selection of braille and recorded magazine subscriptions.

Moving into the digital future

The 75th anniversary of NLS ushers in a new era for the talking-book program.
Building on its past tradition of implementing cutting-edge technologies
to enhance user-friendlessness, NLS is in the midst of converting its analog-based
system to a digital system, and developing new digitally based talking books
and playback machines.

The digital talking-book system will greatly enrich the user reading experience
through improved audio quality, navigation features, accessibility, portability,
and durability. NLS expects to begin distributing the digital talking books
and players to patrons in 2008.

Users play a key role in shaping NLS’s digital future. In partnership with
the National Federation of the Blind, NLS is engaging a broad range of blind
and physically handicapped consumers in a series of rigorous product tests
to ensure that the medium and player are functional and accessible to readers
of diverse ages and skill levels.

"It’s been wonderful to be part of this process," says NFB spokesperson
Marc Maurer. "Throughout its history, NLS has proven itself a forward-thinking
organization and a leader in developing as well as implementing assistive technologies
to improve service to its patrons."

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS),
Library of Congress, administers the talking-book program, a free library service
available to U.S. residents or American citizens living abroad whose low vision,
blindness, or physical handicap makes reading a standard printed page difficult.
Through its national network of regional libraries, NLS mails books and magazines
on cassette and in braille, as well as audio equipment, directly to enrollees
at no cost. Further information on eligibility requirements and enrollment
procedures for the program is available at www.loc.gov/nls or 1-888-NLS-READ
(1-888-657-7323).